DISINFO: The main goal of the West is to destabilise the Caucasus and create new hotbeds of tension
SUMMARY
The main goal of the Westerners is to destabilise the region (Caucasus) and create new hotbeds of tension. Russia hopes Baku and Yerevan understand our justified concerns and assess the risks of deepening their cooperation with aggressive military blocs.
NATO does not bring anything good for the security of the South Caucasus. Russia expects that the South Caucasus states will be restrained and critical about participating in joint exercises with NATO, since they destabilise the region.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about an allegedly aggressive West/ NATO playing a destabilising role in the Caucasus, creating turmoil and dragging the region into chaos.
Pro-Kremlin outlets frequently promote the idea that the Caucasus is exclusively within Russia's zone of geopolitical dominance and attempt to discredit any other cooperation between Western countries and Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. This is an attempt to deny these countries their right to decide for themselves the political orientation.
Western countries support peace and security in the South Caucasus region. The EU has a strong interest in a politically stable and economically prosperous Southern Caucasus in full understanding with the states there. It took a prominent mediation role in negotiation and is committed to it.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the South Caucasus has been a region of several ethno-political conflicts — Abkhazia, Nagorno–Karabakh, and South Ossetia. To this day, Russia continues to occupy 20 per cent of Georgia’s territory and impose its will on the people there, including by claiming the transfer of strategically important lands in Abkhazia to Russia. Moreover, Russia proved unwilling or unable to protect Nagorno-Karabakh, contrary to the general understanding of the Russian peacekeepers’ mission following the Trilateral Statement.
All three South Caucasus republics started relations with NATO in 1992, when they joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. This forum for dialogue was succeeded in 1997 by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, which brings together all Allies and partner countries in the Euro-Atlantic area. Cooperation with NATO is mutually beneficial for Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
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